What was your initial reaction?
Disappointment, more than anything. We all respond with a lot of personal bias, and in players cases these guys are close friends, or enemies and there can be no doubt that taints our response from one to the other. David is a close friend, and my goal at home is to make sure that my kids understand that being a good person, treating people right and being kind doesn’t excuse you from making stupid mistakes and bad decisions. As long as you own up and are accountable.

Should any of the Sox’ accomplishments in ‘04 or ‘07 be judged differently because of this?
This makes me laugh. I have already seen the bandwagon fans start the *04 and *07 threads and remarks, people with teams who are far deeper into this than most other teams — as if this makes it all OK. Every team going back 10-15 years needs an * if you want to consider giving it to anyone. The hard part is that it’s turning into a situation where we are seeing every single GREAT player in the past 10 years caught, and they’re dragging what we thought were the majority, and are now turning into the minority, down with them.

Regarding this whole matter, and the issues/questions it brings, you can expect everyone in Red Sox Nation to start pulling an Irving Berlin and sing:

And, I get that – I really do. You see…I’m now in the camp of those who believe PEDs were the thing to do in baseball from some time in the early-to-mid ’80s through 2003. One guys does it, has success, and the word gets out. Then, yes, “Ev’rybody’s doin’ it” – whether it’s wearing golf/batting gloves, using Nautilus equipment, having LASIK eye surgery, opting for maple bats, or dosing yourself with PEDs.

But, that said, I can still hear my mother’s voice in my head, from somewhere around 30-35 years ago, asking me “If everyone jumped off the Verrazano Bridge, would you do it too?” when I suggested that I should be able to do something because “Ev’rybody’s doin’ it.”

It’s quite a conundrum, eh? Do 104 wrongs make a right, and, therefore, we should look the other way when someone gets nailed for doing something that is perceived by more than some as being wrong? Or, should everyone be held accountable for their own decisions and have to bear the burden that follows – even if it means the stripping of some previous accreditation?

In the end, I suppose the answer is determined by your predisposition towards the person and/or group in question. (As Schilling said today: “We all respond with a lot of personal bias.”) And, we know how Red Sox Nation feels about David Ortiz….say…is it too late to trademark “Red Sox Rationalization”?

Comments on Red Light Rings In On Big Papi

I generally agree with what you’re saying here except for one point. It’s not just 104 wrongs. It’s probably a lot closer to at least 375 wrongs (50% of 25 players x 30 teams). You make it seem like only 104 players did something and that the majority were clean. At this point, how can anyone believe that it wasn’t as widespread as at least half, if not a lot more.

It’s not just 104 wrongs. It’s probably a lot closer to at least 375 wrongs (50% of 25 players x 30 teams). You make it seem like only 104 players did something and that the majority were clean. At this point, how can anyone believe that it wasn’t as widespread as at least half, if not a lot more.

I picked 104 for two reasons. One, it’s a number that can be proven to be true. And, two, I could link back to it.

That said, if asked, my personal belief would be that more than half of big league baseball, between 1998 and 2003, were using some form or PED – not a huge amount more than half…maybe somewhere around 52%. But, yes, it’s probably a lot more, from that period, than just the 104 that we “know” about from the 2003 tests.

I agree with at least half of the league…if EVERY superstar did it which its starting to seem like reality, then why wouldn’t the middling players fighting for jobs and fighting for contracts use it? Good post, love the red sox rationalization line